Sepsis-associated inflammatory and microbial mediators

The target described is a heterogeneous collection of circulating molecules that drive the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and the "cytokine storm" associated with sepsis and critical illness (Hotchkiss et al., 2013). This group includes pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as bacterial endotoxins (LPS) and exotoxins, as well as host-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pro-inflammatory cytokines like Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) (StatPearls, 2023). It also encompasses complement factors and immunoglobulins that participate in the dysregulated immune cascade leading to multi-organ failure. These mediators are the primary targets for extracorporeal blood purification therapies, such as hemoperfusion with CytoSorb, which aims to non-selectively reduce their plasma concentrations to restore immune homeostasis (Ankawi et al., 2018). While individual components like IL-6 can be targeted by specific monoclonal antibodies, this collective group represents the broad therapeutic focus of adsorption-based medical devices in intensive care settings (Monard et al., 2023).

Other names

Bacterial and viral surface antigens, exotoxins/endotoxins, pro-inflammatory cytokines, complement factors, sepsis mediators, apoptotic cell antigens, and immunoglobulinsCytokine storm mediatorsPAMPs and DAMPsSepsis-related toxins

Broad-spectrum extracorporeal adsorption and neutralization of circulating inflammatory and microbial mediators to restore immune homeostasis and prevent organ damage (Ankawi et al., 2018; Monard et al., 2023).